It’s showtime as film festival begins
Annual event only getting better, WIFF executive director declares
You can feel it in the air: Downtown Windsor has instantly become more cosmopolitan with the start of one of the our most popular annual cultural events: the Windsor International Film Festival.
“It’s magic time. We’re gonna watch some movies,” said Vincent Georgie, the festival’s executive director, before a crowd of cinema fans at the Chrysler Theatre on Monday night.
Now in its 13th edition, WIFF brings dozens of acclaimed new films from around the world to the city’s core. This year’s festival takes place over seven days and offers 151 screenings — ranging from high art to intense documentary to campy comedy-horror.
Last year’s WIFF sold more than 20,000 tickets, and Georgie expects even more impressive attendance figures this time. The Chrysler Theatre’s audience of almost 800 people was the festival’s biggest opening night yet.
Georgie said it’s important for WIFF to stay in downtown Windsor, enriching the business and cultural community there.
“It means the world to us to give back to our fantastic downtown. It’s only getting better,” Georgie said, pointing to the construction of the University of Windsor’s new School of Creative Arts facility. “Things are really getting very exciting.”
Monday night’s featured film was the British romance-drama Film Stars Don’t Die in Liverpool, starring Annette Bening and Jamie Bell in a portrayal of the real-life love affair between actress Gloria Grahame and her much younger paramour.
“I couldn’t get tickets to it in Toronto,” said Windsor festivalgoer Cheryl Kay. “I love Annette Bening.”
Kay said she also plans on checking out Sunday’s closing night film, Faces Places; Friday’s screening of Marjorie Prime, which will be attended by the film’s lead actress, Lois Smith; and several other showings throughout the week.
“Great films and easy access. All the films are within a block,” Kay said. “I go to the Toronto International Film Festival every year, and it’s a wonderful festival, too — but you’re all over the city. WIFF is much more user-friendly.”
Public funding for WIFF is minimal. The event depends every year on corporate sponsors, private donors, ticket revenue and an army of around 200 volunteers. In previous years, the festival has needed last-minute online Kickstarter campaigns to fill resource gaps.
Marty Komsa, former CEO of the festival’s lead sponsor, the Windsor Family Credit Union, took the stage on Monday to praise Georgie and WIFF.
“It seems that every year the event becomes larger and larger,” Komsa said. “I’m not quite sure what the City of Windsor and Essex County would be without this great organization.”
Beth Ann Prince of the University of Windsor alumni association said a donation from the association will allow WIFF to embark on new programming in 2018: special screenings throughout the year.
That’s great news for 16-year-old festivalgoer and junior programmer Sophie Brett.
“I’m just a really big film fan,” Brett said. “My favourite part of the festival is being able to see films you wouldn’t get to see anywhere else in Windsor.”
Brett’s wish list for the week include showings of the hand-painted animated film Loving Vincent; Cate Blanchett’s art film Manifesto; the Italian gay romance Call Me by Your Name; and the stark Russian relationship drama Loveless.
“It just brings a bunch of culture into the city,” Brett enthused. “You get to experience things you wouldn’t any other week of the year.”
For more information about the Windsor International Film Festival, including a full schedule of screenings, visit www.windsorfilmfestival.com. Tickets available online or via the box offices at the Capitol Theatre (121 University Ave. W.) and the Chrysler Theatre (201 Riverside Dr. W.). Check the Windsor Star each day of the festival for highlight screenings selected by festival director Vincent Georgie and Star staffers Dalson Chen and Julian Revin. dchen@postmedia.com